Plaza Inn Paint the Night Dining Package reviews and info

[monorailmom]

Well funny thing is we actually did just say "well, then I guess we are allergic to meatloaf and need an alternate option". The whole thing was so silly. That's when they came back without a chef and said we could just have the chicken.
The thing is they are making it harder on themselves, too. The pan with chicken in it was two steps away from the pan where the meatloaf was. They were making such a big deal about it but the food is all prepared and right there!!! My DH also points out that while we were happy to get the chicken, the $18.99 meal you get there includes three pieces. With the substitution we each only got one. Which is fine. We asked for the chicken and there is always a markup for a special event. But oh my goodness this one seemed extreme!

**editing to add, please don't think we were being mean to the Cast Members. Our son is a Cast Member so there is no way we would ever do that. It was the leaders of the location who were dealing with our request which we were handling respectfully. The front line CM's were giggling a little and rather agreed with us how crazy the one choice option was.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

I might be walking into a trap but is the meatloaf that bad?

I'm not against people wanting chicken but is the food now that bad that you need a substitute?

Like has anyone had it and its just bad or people just prefer something else?

 

[LKing]

I might be walking into a trap but is the meatloaf that bad?

I'm not against people wanting chicken but is the food now that bad that you need a substitute?

Like has anyone had it and its just bad or people just prefer something else?

It was Disney meatloaf. Not bad but not particularly flavorful.

 

[BellaandMickey]

Any new updates on how the dining package is going (as far as people lining up very early to get curb spots even with the dining package) vs just finding spots on your own?

We have the dining package as of now but are considering cancelling. Curb spots (so the ability to sit) are very important to us. Is Disney still enforcing the 2 hour limit for getting a spot early? Would we be able to get a curb spot fairly easily 2 hours ahead?

 

[LKing]

Any new updates on how the dining package is going (as far as people lining up very early to get curb spots even with the dining package) vs just finding spots on your own?

We have the dining package as of now but are considering cancelling. Curb spots (so the ability to sit) are very important to us. Is Disney still enforcing the 2 hour limit for getting a spot early? Would we be able to get a curb spot fairly easily 2 hours ahead?

Do you need to sit on a curb or are you okay sitting on flat ground with your legs crossed? Everyone in the viewing area can sit or stand until the parade starts. The parade is approximately 17 min.

I was at Disneyland on Saturday. We were shopping on Main Street between 6:30 and 7 pm. I'm not sure what time people started finding seats, but by 6:30, the front row curbs along Main Street were full. There was still plenty of space for people who wanted to sit behind the front row to wait and then stand for the parade. Personally, I think standing for the parade behind someone who is seated is the best view but I understand that people are tired.

A security person wearing a yellow vest was going section by section and telling people that they couldn't sit until two hours before the parade (6:50 pm). Guests stood up and stayed on the edge of the curb or in the gutter next to the curb. At 6:45 pm, people started sitting down but security kept working his way up and down the street. I understand that it is a safety issue as they don't put the ropes up until 2 hours before the parade. However, people sit on that curb all day to take a break, enjoy ice cream, etc. and security doesn't ask them stand. Also, by 6:30, concession carts selling parade treats and toys were in the middle of the streets.

At 7 pm, the town square area that isn't used for the dining package/tour still had a decent amount of front row available, but it was starting to fill up. The side benches on the elevated train station terrace were taken as were the benches in the town square area. I didn't see other parts of the parade route. However, I was in the IASW area around 5:30 pm and there were no empty benches. I'm not sure if the people sitting there were waiting for the parade.

I walked by the front of castle around 6:30 pm and they had already moved a couple rows of those waiting for fireworks to the brick edge (see arrow). Everyone else had to wait on the curb in the back in order to keep the walkway open. I'm not sure what time they allow guests to fill the walkway. CM told me that ropes go up at 6:50 so probably soon after the ropes go up. Note, that this is for viewing fireworks and projections over the castle, not for viewing the parade. In this picture, the castle is to my left. The people sitting on the ground are front row for viewing fireworks & projections on the castle.

 

[OlliePop27]

Do you need to sit on a curb or are you okay sitting on flat ground with your legs crossed? Everyone in the viewing area can sit or stand until the parade starts. The parade is approximately 17 min.

I was at Disneyland on Saturday. We were shopping on Main Street between 6:30 and 7 pm. I'm not sure what time people started finding seats, but by 6:30, the front row curbs along Main Street were full. There was still plenty of space for people who wanted to sit behind the front row to wait and then stand for the parade. Personally, I think standing for the parade behind someone who is seated is the best view but I understand that people are tired.

A security person wearing a yellow vest was going section by section and telling people that they couldn't sit until two hours before the parade (6:50 pm). Guests stood up and stayed on the edge of the curb or in the gutter next to the curb. At 6:45 pm, people started sitting down but security kept working his way up and down the street. I understand that it is a safety issue as they don't put the ropes up until 2 hours before the parade. However, people sit on that curb all day to take a break, enjoy ice cream, etc. and security doesn't ask them stand. Also, by 6:30, concession carts selling parade treats and toys were in the middle of the streets.

At 7 pm, the town square area that isn't used for the dining package/tour still had a decent amount of front row available, but it was starting to fill up. The side benches on the elevated train station terrace were taken as were the benches in the town square area. I didn't see other parts of the parade route. However, I was in the IASW area around 5:30 pm and there were no empty benches. I'm not sure if the people sitting there were waiting for the parade.

I walked by the front of castle around 6:30 pm and they had already moved a couple rows of those waiting for fireworks to the brick edge (see arrow). Everyone else had to wait on the curb in the back in order to keep the walkway open. I'm not sure what time they allow guests to fill the walkway. CM told me that ropes go up at 6:50 so probably soon after the ropes go up. Note, that this is for viewing fireworks and projections over the castle, not for viewing the parade. In this picture, the castle is to my left. The people sitting on the ground are front row for viewing fireworks & projections on the castle.

View attachment 976985

Thanks for sharing. I'm going to try IASW around 7:30 to see if it works for us, but we may have to pivot to the 10:50 parade one night if not. I don't think we can do more than an hour but do hope to get at least a couple up front spots for kids with adults standing behind.

Do they allow strollers up front so a kid could sit in it or no strollers?

 

[Pluto468]

Thanks for sharing. I'm going to try IASW around 7:30 to see if it works for us, but we may have to pivot to the 10:50 parade one night if not. I don't think we can do more than an hour but do hope to get at least a couple up front spots for kids with adults standing behind.

Do they allow strollers up front so a kid could sit in it or no strollers?

We watched the parade from Small World last week and had a good view even though we showed up about 5 minutes before it started. If you go an hour earlier maybe you'll luck out and get a bench.

One of our nights we stopped on Main St. to watch the 10:50. We were right on the curb, there was plenty of space.

 

[LKing]

Thanks for sharing. I'm going to try IASW around 7:30 to see if it works for us, but we may have to pivot to the 10:50 parade one night if not. I don't think we can do more than an hour but do hope to get at least a couple up front spots for kids with adults standing behind.

Do they allow strollers up front so a kid could sit in it or no strollers?

Strollers are allowed in front if the child is sitting in it for the parade. If the child isn't sitting in the stroller, they ask for you to put it in stroller parking.

 

[OlliePop27]

We watched the parade from Small World last week and had a good view even though we showed up about 5 minutes before it started. If you go an hour earlier maybe you'll luck out and get a bench.

One of our nights we stopped on Main St. to watch the 10:50. We were right on the curb, there was plenty of space.

Thank you @Pluto468 and @LKing. I have been so many times, but a nighttime parade at DL with little kids and with 6 additional family members we don't normally travel with has added a new element of challenge to planning! I will report back on my experiences.

 

[Artygal90]

We did our package yesterday Saturday 6/28 and I thought I’d post my thoughts here. I spent so long agonizing over whether to keep it. After experiencing the package I decided that despite some drawbacks that overall it was worth it for our party of 3 adults and one very wriggly toddler.

I checked us in at 3:50 (reservation was officially at 3:30) while the rest of my party was stuck in a longer-than expected line at Star Tours. When paying I told them I don’t eat red meat due to health reasons and they gave me chicken without a fuss, yay! Because they stop serving the dining package food at 4, they let me pay and get everyone’s food and find a table while I waited for the rest of the group to arrive. Also, they let me omit the pea purée, another yay as it looked a bit congealed. The food was good - I did try the meatloaf and it was fine but I was very very happy with my fried chicken and the rest of my meal.

We ended up heading down to the dining area early because it was getting so crowded and claustrophobic just moving around the park and we were ready to sit down. I did see some places along the route where maybe an intrepid person or two could squeeze in to fill a spot, but it looked pretty filled in. We were at Town Square around 7:45 with maybe 50 other people and when they let us in at 8 the curb spots quickly filled up. There was plenty of space right behind the first row if you wanted to sit though. You were not allowed to bring in a stroller unless your little one was sitting in it, just fyi. It was easy to get out of the area to use the bathroom or get snacks until about 8:45, then it became harder as the other package holders filtered in and were sitting down getting comfy.

They did not do as much hyping up the crowd as I had expected during the 8-9:15 wait. Mickey and Goofy did come do some greets in their 70th costumes and some photopass photographers came around but that was about it. We were struggling to keep my overtired kid from being a complete terror to everyone else. If you saw a toddler dancing around like crazy in the middle of Main Street yesterday being watched by a defeated-looking mom…that was us.

We *loved* the parade itself. We were sitting directly across from the train station steps and had a great view of each float as they came around the corner and down the street. After the parade was over we went to an empty space up against a railing immediately northeast of the flag pole and had an ok view of fireworks without having to fight through Main Street. We couldn’t see the projections very well but we could hear great, see Baymax and the Blue Fairy, and see the castle with the bursts going off after it. Then we were able to turn around and leave, lol.

Anyway, that’s way too much information, but maybe it will be helpful to someone else who is considering keeping or dropping their package!

 

[LKing]

Anyway, that’s way too much information, but maybe it will be helpful to someone else who is considering keeping or dropping their package!

Thanks for sharing. That's a great report. Glad that everything worked out for you.

 

[Pluto468]

We did our package yesterday Saturday 6/28 and I thought I’d post my thoughts here. I spent so long agonizing over whether to keep it. After experiencing the package I decided that despite some drawbacks that overall it was worth it for our party of 3 adults and one very wriggly toddler.

I checked us in at 3:50 (reservation was officially at 3:30) while the rest of my party was stuck in a longer-than expected line at Star Tours. When paying I told them I don’t eat red meat due to health reasons and they gave me chicken without a fuss, yay! Because they stop serving the dining package food at 4, they let me pay and get everyone’s food and find a table while I waited for the rest of the group to arrive. Also, they let me omit the pea purée, another yay as it looked a bit congealed. The food was good - I did try the meatloaf and it was fine but I was very very happy with my fried chicken and the rest of my meal.

We ended up heading down to the dining area early because it was getting so crowded and claustrophobic just moving around the park and we were ready to sit down. I did see some places along the route where maybe an intrepid person or two could squeeze in to fill a spot, but it looked pretty filled in. We were at Town Square around 7:45 with maybe 50 other people and when they let us in at 8 the curb spots quickly filled up. There was plenty of space right behind the first row if you wanted to sit though. You were not allowed to bring in a stroller unless your little one was sitting in it, just fyi. It was easy to get out of the area to use the bathroom or get snacks until about 8:45, then it became harder as the other package holders filtered in and were sitting down getting comfy.

They did not do as much hyping up the crowd as I had expected during the 8-9:15 wait. Mickey and Goofy did come do some greets in their 70th costumes and some photopass photographers came around but that was about it. We were struggling to keep my overtired kid from being a complete terror to everyone else. If you saw a toddler dancing around like crazy in the middle of Main Street yesterday being watched by a defeated-looking mom…that was us.

We *loved* the parade itself. We were sitting directly across from the train station steps and had a great view of each float as they came around the corner and down the street. After the parade was over we went to an empty space up against a railing immediately northeast of the flag pole and had an ok view of fireworks without having to fight through Main Street. We couldn’t see the projections very well but we could hear great, see Baymax and the Blue Fairy, and see the castle with the bursts going off after it. Then we were able to turn around and leave, lol.

Anyway, that’s way too much information, but maybe it will be helpful to someone else who is considering keeping or dropping their package!

Thanks for the review! I'm glad they gave you the chicken and that you liked the parade